Japanese researchers reveal cats identify each other through unique urine-based scent memory. International team from Japan confirmed domestic felines’ scent-driven recognition capabilities recently.
Scientists exposed cats to various urine odors during specifically designed behavior experiments.
Cats sniffed unfamiliar urine longer, but remembered familiar scents over several months. Researchers identified distinctive fatty acids unique to every cat in their smells.
Similar scent differences appeared in lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, and lynxes studied. Research published in Current Biology; wild big cats’ scent recognition remains unproven.